Should I tip my builder?

woodworm

woodworm

Messages
56
Edit My Images
Yes
We're getting an extension done and so far I'm very happy with their work.

It crossed my mind that I would tip a waiter, etc so should I tip my builder at the end of the job? Obviously not going to be 20% but I guess some of the people he has working for him aren't as well paid?

Whats the done thing here?

Ta
 
I wouldn’t. They’ve quoted you the price presumably... that’s the price.

I really don’t get tipping.

Do you tip the insurance sales person when you buy home or car insurance?

Do you tip the cashier in a petrol station or supermarket?

Do you tip the delivery drivers who bring parcels? (Who probably actually do deserve tips due to huge amount of work they do)

The postman? Binmen? Water/electric reader people.
 
I don't tip them but on longer jobs multiple weeks I do them a cake rather than biscuits with their tea/coffee once a week and on a Friday go for a pint or two at the end of the day.
 
Tea/coffee bacon butties and cake is always supplied when we have workmen in.. maybe that is a kind of a tip, I don’t know. But I’d never give extra money.
 
Can't remember the last trade person I tipped, I always tipped the barber. But I have not used one in many years, as I have no need for one. :)
 
I almost always tip anyone doing private work for me. Outside of that I tip the barber, taxi drivers (have a few regular guys who've never let me down) and takeaway delivery guys. We give the postman a card with some scratch cards and €20 in at Christmas. I think it's the more personal touch we appreciate and knowing they don't make much for what they do. I don't tip bin men for example because they change regular and I don't directly deal with them. But it's completely personal choice, there is no 'should'
 
I'm in the building trade, although not really a builder.
From my experience, a good customer relationship is massively important and I actually won't work for someone I don't like or warm to.
A tip is a rare thing, but coffee, biscuits and maybe a few cans of beer at the end of the week go a long way, as does saying thank you to all the guys working, even better if you can get their names.
Treat them well - it'll come back to you and will help big time should you ever want any more work done.
 
Depends on the service I get.
If they are pleasant, and do a good job then yes the will get a tip as well as hot drinks etc. in one case
bacon rolls, if not and as has just happened to a friend, they are surly and leave a mess then no
When I give tips on restaurants I never have it added to the bill, rather give them cash or add to a tip jar,
they pay tax if it's added to their wages :(
On another point, my local surgery isn't doing the vaccines, we have to go to one 20 mins away, lovely staff and helpers there,
so both time I have taken several packets of mixed biscuits for them, they seem surprised and grateul, all come and say thankyou while I'm queueing
 
Last edited:
I'd just add that by being friendly, giving tea, biscuits etc DURING the job you will be building the relationship as work progresses, rather than waiting till the end.
We all like to be treated well and thanked, makes one feel welcome.
Ingrid @Gremlin - your point about your vaccines illustrates this perfectly !
 
Tea/coffee/cold drinks and biccies are pretty much a given. A selection of beer/cider might head their way if we feel the work deserves it.

FWIW, there's usually a pair of 4 packs atop our bin for them at the last collection before commercialmas.
 
No, I personally wouldn't. Tipping in the US is because fundamentally they are earning a REALLY low wage so they rely on tipping. The onus is off the employer to pay their staff (less cost for them), and then the waiter is getting cash in hand (no tax) so there is no incentive for them to change but that is a side point.

Your builder isn't charging you like £3 for the work is he?

Whilst i would participate tipping in the US as it's their culture, I disagree with it. If someone wants to bill me what he wants to get pay, ask me up front. You don't sell me a car at a discount and then expect a tip, if that is the bottomline, put it on the invoice.
 
Last edited:
A tip is supposedly given if you have received outstanding, or really great service. But truthfully, everyone should be offering a good and efficient service / work , regardless if there is a possibility of a tip at the end of it.

I used to work in a restaurant many years ago, and some of the waiting on staff used to treat customers rudely and abruptly, if the customer was known for not tipping. This was in the days of regular customers. All customers should have been treated politely and respectfully, regardless if there was a tip in it or not. But waiting on staff, just would not have it.
 
We tip tradesmen if they go above and beyond but not otherwise. For instance we had a woodburner put in recently and the guy was brilliant, did some extra work, supplied some extra bits free of charge and even gave me a free lesson on plastering. :) Gave him £20 for a drink at the end of the job.

I always offer tea /coffees, that’s only polite as far as I’m concerned.
 
jonbeeza said:
A tip is supposedly given if you have received outstanding, or really great service. But truthfully, everyone should be offering a good and efficient service / work , regardless if there is a possibility of a tip at the end of it.

I used to work in a restaurant many years ago, and some of the waiting on staff used to treat customers rudely and abruptly, if the customer was known for not tipping. This was in the days of regular customers. All customers should have been treated politely and respectfully, regardless if there was a tip in it or not. But waiting on staff, just would not have it.
Click to expand...

When I was away travelling I worked in restaurants where your only wage was the tips, literally. Should have put a couple of those lot in there for a summer and see how they faired.
 
No, I don't think tradesmen need tipping. They quote for their work. Their side of the bargain is to do the work properly and within the time frame given and my side of the bargain is to pay the quoted amount when due. But I make life as comfortable as possible for anyone working in my property and I treat them as they would want to be treated. As a result I have good relationships with all those except the ones who failed to deliver on their side of the contract.
 
No, I would never give a tip to a builder / builders. However, I do provide lunch, tea & coffee if they're with me for the day.
 
We normally tip builders if they have done a good job. I mentioned that once to my neighbour who said that he nevers tips anyone, they say what the job will cost and that is what he gives them. A wierd statement from a London black cab driver :)
 
Suvv said:
We normally tip builders if they have done a good job. I mentioned that once to my neighbour who said that he nevers tips anyone, they say what the job will cost and that is what he gives them. A wierd statement from a London black cab driver :)
Click to expand...

Very wierd. ALWAYS tip the taxi driver!!
 
We had a new kitchen put in last year. The two men who did it worked to 7.00pm sometimes. When it was finished my wife got them each a large boquet..they were away from home for a long time each day so that was for their wives and for them a bottle of decent quality champagne each .I could see they were moved.
 
I normally do but only a small amount, £20 at most, and say it's to buy fish and chips or a pint on the way home. Not all accept though.

I don't use tradesmen enough to build up any good customer feeling but I've always tipped the garage I use for servicing and repairing my cars and I get exceptional service from them.
 
boliston said:
hopefully tipping will eventually die a death and encourage employers to pay their staff a realistic wage rather than rely on charity from customers
Click to expand...

I don't see it as charity, for me it's more of a personal gesture regardless of the money involved or what wage people are on.

It's not always money either. One guy a while back wouldn't accept money for a freebee item he gave me so I went back with a box of Celebrations and he just about snapped my hand off for them. I'd offered him £20 and I was more than happy with that for what he gave me, the chocolates only cost £4.50.
 
Last edited:
Hi everyone - thanks for all the comments. Perhaps I should have said some of this in the original post but yes I tip my postman and binmen at Christmas (actually not the binmen this past Christmas due to the s***ty job they did the previous year) and I would tip a taxi driver or waitress, etc.

Anyway, one of the reasons for me asking this is because my wife is a veterinarian - she doesn't often get tips, but she will receive several hundred gifts over a year (cakes, gin, stuff) - I've always assumed this is because people (wrongly) think that vets are super well paid so they buy gifts instead, but I might be wrong with that. When we receive those things we split them evenly with all the staff.

edit - I'm not saying we'd rather have a tip in the above paragraph but after reading my original post it may come across that way!?!

Anyway - thanks to everyone that has responded. Job isn't finished yet so I hope my builder isn't an amateur photographer on here :)
 
Last edited:
woodworm said:
so I hope my builder isn't an amateur photographer on here :)
Click to expand...
Stop wasting time posting and get the kettle on
And don't forget the cake this time (y)

:D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top